


Reconstruction

by highhopes (downuptime)



Category: The Good Fight (TV)
Genre: F/M, Reconciliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23755819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/downuptime/pseuds/highhopes
Summary: Two years ago, Diane might have just let her go. But after it had all died down, and the heated anger and deep disappointment had dissipated, she’d had the opportunity to reflect and think about it, and she’d realised that she ultimately regretted how it had all turned out.In which Diane and Maia talk things out.
Relationships: Diane Lockhart/Kurt McVeigh
Comments: 11
Kudos: 36





	Reconstruction

**Author's Note:**

> Of course there would be some Kurt/Diane thrown in.

She was poring over a particularly convoluted affidavit - God, when did the standard of drafting get so _terrible,_ it was not the best thing to read on a Friday afternoon leading into the weekend - when there was a knock on door. Wincing internally at the spelling error that she had just spotted, and without looking up, Diane gestured at whoever was at the door to come in.

“Hi, Diane.”

That was a voice she didn’t expect to hear. “Maia,” Diane removed her glasses and rose to her feet. There was a mix of feelings in her - betrayal, regret, disappointment, affection, even a tinge of a grudge - that she was not able to quite pin down. She shot a look outside her office. Marissa’s back was to her office, and she was deep in conversation with Jay. “What a surprise.”

“I had a meeting about a block away and thought I’d pop by to say hi.” Maia remained at the door. She paused. “It’s been a long time.”

“It has."

A beat, then, “I hope I’m not bothering you. I can come back another time.”

“No, no. Come on in.” Diane walked around her desk and settled into the couch at the side of her office. “It’s nice to see you. You look good.”

Maia let out a breath as she stepped into the room. She was holding the leather portfolio gifted to her five years ago. Something in Diane softened.

Maia settled into the armchair just across from Diane, crossing her legs, and leaned in. “So do you. Do you even age?”

Diane chuckled and leaned back, suddenly finding herself more relaxed. “So, what brings you to town?”

“I had a meeting.” She saw the look on Diane’s face and added, “Just by myself. Blum’s back in DC.”

Diane eyed her goddaughter. Despite the initial nerves, there was something in the way that she carried herself that told Diane she was different now. The defiance and brashness that reared their heads two years ago had melted away, leaving behind what seemed to be a certain thoughtfulness. Diane had quietly followed her progress in Washington over the past two years, and from what she could tell, Maia had grown into a keen litigator with an interest in representing non-governmental organisations.

It was different from what Diane had expected from her joining Roland Blum.

Blum _._ She wasn’t even going to bother asking about him. “So how does it feel to be back in Chicago?”

“Good,” Maia twisted her fingers, an undercurrent of longing in her voice. “It feels really good. I’ve missed it.”

Diane opened her mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door. Adrian’s assistant popped her head in.“Your three o’clock is here, Ms Lockhart. Mr Boseman asked me to inform you that he’s held up in traffic and will join you as soon as you can.” She spotted Maia and her eyes widened slightly. To her credit, she immediately schooled her face into passivity. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were with someone.”

“Hi Lisa,” Maia waved awkwardly. “Long time no see.”

“It’s nice to see you, Maia,” Lisa smiled. “Hope you’re good.”

Diane knew how loyal Lisa was to Adrian, so her neutral response was a testament to her sheer professionalism.

“Give me a moment, Lisa,” Diane nodded slightly, lips quirking to convey her approval to Lisa. “I’ll be right there.”

“I should go,” Maia rose to her feet, hastily gathering her things. “I shouldn’t hold you up. It was good seeing you, Diane.”

Two years ago, Diane might have just let her go. But after it had all died down, and the heated anger and deep disappointment had dissipated, she’d had the opportunity to reflect and think about it, and she’d realised that she ultimately regretted how it had all turned out.

And here was the chance to set things right. “Wait. How long are you in town for?”

Maia worried her bottom lip. It was the exact same expression she used to have when as a little girl, she hoped Diane would sneak her some chocolate after dinner. “My flight is at noon on Sunday.

“Good." Diane strode over to her desk and swiped a Post-It, scribbling down her address. Kurt would be disappointed they wouldn't be headed to the cabin, but he would understand. “Come over for dinner. Seven o’clock, my place, tomorrow? We’ll order something in.”

Maia took the Post-It, a hopeful and relieved smile on her face. “I’d love to.”

~~~

“Hey,” she murmured as she shrugged off her coat and dropped gracefully onto the couch.

“Hey back,” Kurt leaned in to press a kiss to her temple as he extended his arm around her. “How was your day?”

Diane sank a little lower into the Italian leather, leaning into him as she shucked off her shoes and tucked her legs under her. “Infuriating. Sometimes I wonder if the associates even proofread their work. But,” she added, “also surprising. Guess who swung by today?

“Who?”

“Maia.”

Things rarely startled Kurt, but Diane felt the jolt of surprise. He sat up a little straighter. “Maia?”

“Yes, _Maia_ ,” she raised an eyebrow, lips quirking at his reaction. “How many Maias do we know?”

“How is she?”

Diane cocked her head. The rest of the day had been hectic and it was the first moment she was having since Maia appeared at her door to consider how it had gone. “She’s… different.”

“In a good way or bad way?” Kurt reached over and turned off the television, turning to fix a serious gaze on her.

Diane thought back to the afternoon as she leaned in deeper towards him. “In a good way,” she confirmed. “She doesn’t seem… resentful. Not anymore.”

Kurt snorted. “You know it wasn’t your fault. She ignored your attempts to reach out.”

“I know,” she admitted. Kurt had not been impressed with Maia’s choices. They had many conversations about this, Kurt valiantly trying each time to make her feel better by highlighting Maia’s own actions. “But I can’t help but feel I let her down a little. Her whole world was turned upside down and while I was too busy fretting about the state of the White House, I forgot to worry about my own goddaughter - whether she was coping; whether she was even in a position to work with _Blum_ , of all people.”

“She’s an adult, Diane. You were outvoted,” he reasoned. “She chose to ignore you. She turned down the job offers.”

“I’m her godmother. I should have tried harder,” Diane sighed. “How terrible - how _lonely_ \- must she have felt, if she thought that Blum was a good choice? Her only choice?”

His arms tightened around her. “Now you’re just rehashing it all again.”

“I know.” She had had more than a few sleepless nights - usually after seeing a report or hearing news about Maia - ruminating over Maia and how it had all ended and wishing it had turned out differently. “I was so caught up in everything… I just wish I had done more.”

“I know, Di,” he sighed, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

“I invited her to dinner tomorrow.” Diane pulled back slightly, searching his face for his reaction. They'd planned the trip to the cabin two months ago, not having had the chance to go up in a while since her weekends had been burnt in two back to back trials.

Kurt’s face was inscrutable. While he’d met Maia briefly a few time, she knew his old-fashioned sense of loyalty and protectiveness prescribed disapproval and displeasure on her behalf at Maia turning her back and going to work with a man she despised. Not to mention the fact that his long-awaited trip to the cabin had been thwarted.

Kurt’s mouth twitched. “So, salmon or scallops?”

Diane laughed out loud and leaned in to press a kiss on his lips. “Oh, you wonderful man.” Maia was a pescetarian. “You complete me.”

He gave her that look - the look that told her she was being melodramatic again - and shook his head. “We’ll need to go the farmer’s market in the morning.”

Diane wrapped her arms around him. “Anything you say, Mr McVeigh."

~~~

When the doorbell rang, she set down the glass of Chardonnay she was nursing and slid off the stool from where she had been watching Kurt busy himself about the kitchen. God, she loved watching him cook. She wrapped her cardigan tighter around her body and padded to the front door.

“Hi,” Maia smiled shyly, relaxing upon seeing Diane’s answering smile. “I have wine, and cake.”

Diane glanced at the beige box and felt something in her heart warm. “Is that cake from Dolcetto?”

“You mean do I remember only the best chocolate cake in Chicago?”

Diane stepped back to let Maia in and took the cake from her. “God, I love their cake.”

“It smells wonderful.” Maia hung up her coat and bounced a little on her toes. “I thought we were ordering in.”

“Kurt offered to cook.” Diane glanced across Maia, who had begun worrying at her lip once she realised that Kurt was around and was _cooking_ for them. She instinctively hooked her arm through Maia’s and tugged her towards the kitchen. “Come on, let’s get you a glass of wine.”

As they stepped into the dining area, Kurt was just setting down plates of salmon, asparagus and potatoes next to the salad on the table. He wiped his hands on his apron and reached his hand out with a small smile. “Hey Maia. Good to see you again.”

Diane stared at Kurt and hoped he could tell she wanted to jump his bones. She could feel the last of Maia’s tension melt away as the frosty welcome she expected from Kurt never came. “Hi Kurt. It smells amazing,” Maia smiled bashfully as she shook Kurt’s hand. “Thanks for having me over.”

“Come on, let’s dig in.” Diane announced, feeling inexplicably relieved and sentimental. “I’m starving.”

~~~

Midway through dessert and their second bottle of wine, Kurt excused himself and retreated upstairs - cake in hand - for what he insisted was an important game.

They sat in silence for a while, a little awkward but not uncomfortable.

Finally, Diane turned and fixed her gaze squarely on her goddaughter. “Maia,” she started, “I want to apologise.”

Maia’s jaw dropped. “Whatever for?”

“I was a terrible godmother.”

“No, Diane, you weren’t, I -“

“No, hear me out.” Diane reached over and lay her hand on Maia’s forearm. “I was preoccupied with other things, I basically checked out. You weren’t ready to deal with someone like Blum all by yourself. Which second year associate would be? We all knew what he was capable of. I should have kept a closer eye on things.”

“Diane, I - “

“No, Maia, I’m your _godmother_ ,” Diane insisted. “You’re family. I should have made sure you were okay.”

Maia was silent as she contemplated what Diane said. Then, she leaned in and met Diane’s gaze. “Diane. I - I have to admit. I did feel like I was in over my head. And… it means a lot to hear you say this now. It does. But - and I can’t believe I’m saying this - but Blum might be one of the best things that ever happened to me.”

Diane reared back. “What?”

Maia laughed. “No, don’t get me wrong. He’s still a son of a bitch. But being able to handle him and manage him? It’s given me the ability - to handle all the shit that’s thrown at me.” She looked down, smiling wryly. “Maybe I got too close to him for my own good, but in the last two years, I’ve learnt a lot. Not necessarily from him but mostly about who I am as a person and a lawyer.”

“Oh,” Diane calmed down a little. “But you could have learnt all that without Blum too. Without…” she gestured, “everything that happened.”

“I’m not sure it would have been as quick a process,” Maia replied ruefully. “It was a trial by fire and while I got burnt at first... I'd like to think I'm all the better for it now." Maia paused. "I want to apologise to you too, Diane. You tried to reach out to me, and the job interviews you lined up… I was more than a little ungrateful. My getting fired wasn’t within your control. What I did after I got fired - that definitely wasn’t within your control. I… spiralled, a little bit.”

“That’s the thing - I should have known, and I should have tried harder to help you and check in with you.” Diane leaned in and squeezed Maia’s hand. “I could have helped a lot more.”

“I don’t think I was in the headspace to accept any help,” Maia admitted. “Not from you. Nor Marissa, nor Lucca. Not anyone.”

They sat in silence for a while, hands still clasped in each other’s.

“Are you happy?” Diane eventually asked. “In DC, at your own firm? With Blum?”

Maia cocked her head. “I’m not unhappy. He’s found his _calling_ ,“ she rolled her eyes and gestured with air quotes, “as a political fixer now, and has lost interest in practising law. He’s still bringing in the money though, and that gives me the freedom to take the types of cases I want.”

Diane was not surprised. Politics allowed Blum much more leeway than the law. “I think you deserve better,” she said firmly. “And better means being more than just not unhappy.”

“I know,” Maia said softly. “But it was nice, starting on a clean slate over in DC. There, I’m just one of many with an infamous last name and family baggage.”

There was nothing Diane could say about that. Even till today, the Rindell last name was taboo in Chicago. “I can imagine. It was very hard for you in the aftermath of everything. You held up remarkably well considering the circumstances.”

“Except for the part where I threw a computer through a glass window on the pretext that it was the only way I could stand up to Blum,” Maia drolled.

Diane chuckled. “Yes,” she agreed. “There were better ways to handle that.”

"I was acting out," Maia acknowledged. She looked down at the table and then, shyly, up at Diane. “I lied yesterday. I’m not in town for a meeting.” She took a deep breath. “I was here for an interview.”

Diane blinked. “Oh.”

“I miss Chicago. I miss this,” Maia gestured, “You. Us. My friends. Deep dish pizza. I’m not a fan of DC scene, and there’s good work to be done here.”

“That’s wonderful.” And Diane meant it. “I've missed this too. But Blum?”

“It’s time to move on. He’ll deal with it,” Maia replied. “He’ll be more than fine. He lucked out with a Croatian hooker who happens to have an accounting and finance degree.”

Diane raised an eyebrow and decided not to probe further. “So who did you interview with?”

“Adelstein and Sewell.”

Diane made a face. They had been a pain in her ass three months ago when they’d acted for a co-defendant. “They’re very good,” she conceded. “Just… very unsubtle.”

Maia laughed. “Yes. But nothing compared to Blum.”

Diane shuddered, remembering Blum’s uncouth antics. Then, a thought struck her. “Would you like to come back, Maia?" she ventured, "To Reddick Boseman & Lockhart?”

“No, Diane - I didn’t come here to ask for a job.” Maia stuttered. “I’m not asking for a job or anything.”

“I know,” Diane countered. “I just -" she stopped, suddenly finding herself emotional. This was the firm that took her and Maia in when no one wanted them. "Come _home_ , Maia.”

Maia squeezed Diane's hand silently. 

Diane gave a watery smile. “Let me speak to Adrian and Liz. Let me see if we can work something out. You’re good, Maia. You’ll be an asset. We’re the best. And most of all,” she urged, “we’re family.”

Diane held her breath. There was a lot of history - some good, some terrible, and Maia might not be ready for what that all entailed. It would not be easy. But Diane knew it was the right thing and the next step to take. 

She watched as Maia took a deep breath. “Okay,” she finally said. “I’m not promising anything, but - I think I would like that. I think I'm ready.” 

Diane smiled. This was Maia no longer chained to or afraid of her past, and ready to do what she needed to grow and move forward.

And though Diane had had almost nothing to do with it, there was no denying the relief and pride she felt. 

~~~

It was almost midnight when Diane entered the bedroom. Kurt was leaning against the headboard, book in hand.

He set down his book and propped himself on one arm. “Good talk?”

Diane threw on a satin nightie and slipped into bed beside him, turning to face him. “Good,” she said emphatically, loose and relaxed from the wine. “Very good.”

He raised one eyebrow slightly and flopped down onto the bed. “Very eloquent.”

She chuckled. She lay her arm across him and pulled herself closer to him. “Thank you,” she whispered. 

She could tell from the twinkle in his eye that he knew exactly what she was thanking him for. Words weren’t necessary anymore, not when they’d spent the last few years learning the ins and outs of each other. “As long as you’re happy,” he drawled.

“I am,” Diane confirmed with a happy sigh. It wasn't just the wine or Kurt's arms making her feel warm and content. Maia, her missing puzzle piece, was finally found. “I’m completely, inexorably, inescapably happy.”

Kurt shook his head and pressed a kiss on her cheek. “Go to sleep, Hemingway.”


End file.
